Garden topics

Side gate and partition to hide the bins

jkhandywoman — Wed, 24 Feb 2021 20:22:45 GMT

I have prepared the side garden for a large gate ..

and a partition to hide the bins

in loving that it is in the sane look as the divider fence

Self watering solutions for indoor plants?

JaneK — Wed, 24 Feb 2021 09:46:25 GMT

Does anyone have any suggestions for how to set up a self-watering system for indoor houseplants? I was hoping that someone might be able to suggest some low tech D.I.Y. solutions for keeping plants watered if you're away from home for a couple of weeks.

Jane

Lawn - Yellow / white when I mow. Green otherwise

kashgenius — Tue, 23 Feb 2021 02:25:55 GMT

Hi all,

I have a problem where I see patches of yellow/white when I mow my lawn but is otherwise green when the grass height is high. I cannot seem to figure out the issue. Could it be due to fertiliser burn? Or do I need to aerate more. Pictures attached.

As I mentioned, these only appear after I mow the lawn.

Holes in soil/yard

jaksmc — Mon, 22 Feb 2021 22:37:17 GMT

I have multiple holes on the edge of my entertainment area leading onto the garden. Can anyone please advise what creature is nesting or “drilling” these holes. Thanks, JAKSMC

When can I plant after spraying zero weed killer?

Sajee — Mon, 22 Feb 2021 02:53:24 GMT

can I plant veggies and flowers after using zero weed killer on the raised bed ground

Avocado tree turning black

NumeroUno — Sun, 21 Feb 2021 21:25:35 GMT

Hi. I have a young avovado tree that was thriving but the heat burnt the leaves and turned the stem black from top down. I have since pruned it and added mulch but still turning black. Not sure if the stems below are pests either? Any recommendations for products to resolve e.g. if root rot?

Help with pruning a hedge

Redbomber85 — Sun, 21 Feb 2021 21:41:03 GMT

I'm only a beginner with gardening and want to know how to successfully prune a bush/hedge without it looking hacked at. Also what are the right tools for the job, please.

Any help is a good start on my book, so send through your suggestions please and thank you in advance.

Ryobi One +Brushless Line Trimmer OLT 1833BL

hoppy68 — Sun, 21 Feb 2021 21:38:58 GMT

Can someone suggest the best line trimmer cord to use on the above.. Doesnt look like i can get the one that came with the device.

Was looking probably for a good 2mm thickness

Any help appreciated

kids planter box advice

Dark — Sun, 21 Feb 2021 08:05:01 GMT

Hey brain trust how are we on this cool sunday of 36 degree heat...

Ok I've done a 30min kids planter box project at home using scrap wood from my last project. What im wondering is this... do planter box that sit off the ground need drainage holes? Ive lined the inside with black plastic and tried to seal it as much as i can so it retains water more so, as i know boxes like these do dry out fast. Or is this more of a management of how much water goes in. Dimensions of the box is 1160L x 450W x 180H and inside is lined with black plastic

Ideas for D.I.Y. plant stands please?

JaneK — Fri, 19 Feb 2021 10:12:07 GMT

Inspired by this post by How to give height and feature your indoor plants, and this project by this D.I.Y. plant stand I was hoping to see a few more ideas for decorative D.I.Y. plant stands?

Jane

Caterpillars on our edible plant leaves

chengjianer — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 20:30:07 GMT

recently there are a lot of caterpillars on our edible plant leaves, so i bought that spray to see if it will work.

did i buy the correct one? or is there any other products that work better?

thanks!

Possible landscaping ideas?

johncen — Wed, 17 Feb 2021 09:27:04 GMT

This is the a short strip between the garden and the porch

The garden hasn't been put much care over the past, just generic weed pulling, the timber beneath the weed are old, hope we can do something not too costly with the original plants, such as grow grass or synthetic grass between the plants.

How to deter rats from your edibles

mich1972 — Tue, 16 Feb 2021 23:19:38 GMT

Good morning Workshop Community Friends !!!!!!

If you are growing your own Edibles or you have a Chook Run or Bird Aviary, you will unfortunately have Rats and Mice hanging around and moving in. That’s life.

We have a problem with rats as we grow edibles and have chooks. Our Nextdoor neighbours have an aviary so the rats are living in luxury !

We have our cage trap set every night and we catch a few, but they are smart and start avoiding the cage. We also have a safe bait station that doesn’t cause secondary poisoning to pets. That works well.

But this is something I would love to share with you all is a Rat deterrent.

RUBBER SNAKES

We have a beautiful Pomegranate in our chook run that is loaded with fruits.
Unfortunately the rats were demolishing them. I had read about using rubber snakes as a deterrent and wanted to try it out. So I purchased a few rubber snakes and wrapped them around branches of the Pomegranate. This experiment has been running for nearly two months and I must say , the branches with fruits and snakes have NOT been touched at all !!
The higher up branches with no snakes the rats have eaten. We are really pleased to say we have saved some of our fruits and will be adding a few more snakes to the tree.

Once the Pomegranate has finished fruiting and goes fully dormant in Winter, we will be giving it a hard prune to control its growth and once it starts to set fruits again we will be ready for the snakes.

The rubber snakes come autumn winter will be transferred to our Edible No Dig Garden and we will see how they go deterring rats from our vegetables !!!

Bomboniere succulents

Nikkaz — Tue, 16 Feb 2021 00:02:23 GMT

A friend of mine asked me to make her some Succulent Bombonieres for her wedding!

I love succulents and this was easy and cheap to do!

POT TERRACOTTA 9CM : Northcote Pottery 9cm Italian Terracotta Pot | Bunnings Warehouse

1 x bag of OSMOCOTE Cacti & Succulent Mix : Scotts Osmocote 25L Cacti & Succulent Premium Potting Mix (bunnings.com.au)

Save garden from weeds

DexterOz — Mon, 15 Feb 2021 09:36:55 GMT

I have been struggling to clean up weed garden and bring back some grass. I have applied this product from amgrow

it has killed small weeds( bindie) but still others are there

1) Big leaves weed ( crab grass or some other variety as in the image below )

2) broad leaves with yellow flower not sure about name

Question 1 how can i get rid of the remaining weeds

Then i am planning to put grass seeds is this good

How to build a garden statue plinth?

Johnboy — Sun, 14 Feb 2021 21:59:44 GMT

I want to build a plinth to go under a heavy stone garden statue. I am thinking to do that by using form ply made into a box about 500 high 400x400 and filling with concrete. Questions. Will Bunnings cut the ply sheet into those sides? Also if I use standard premix bagged concrete mixed quite wet it should hold up alright, yah reckon?

Update on my summer veggies

Andy_J — Sun, 14 Feb 2021 21:40:26 GMT

Hello Everyone,

Summer is almost over and I just wanted to share some photographs of my summer harvest.

I had four types of peas and beans and while I had a good harvest, I have unfortunately not taken any photographs.

Below are photographs from today's harvest.

101 ApricotsChecking my eggplantA whopper eggplantToday's harvestA little over a kilo..

Stay safe and happy gardening

Ranking herbs from easiest to hardest to grow

JaneK — Fri, 12 Feb 2021 11:42:22 GMT

I don't want to jinx myself, but this year for the very first time, I think I have managed to grow basil from seed. I've been lucky to have a very productive herb garden but I've never had much luck with basil or coriander. I'm not sure if it's the location or the watering regime but I'm determined to keep on trying.

This got me thinking about which herbs the gardeners of Bunnings Workshop might struggle with.

If you had to, from easiest to hardest to grow, how would you rank the following herbs?

Basil
Chives
Dill
Mint
Oregano
Parsley
Rosemary
Thyme

EASIEST | Rosemary > Mint > Oregano > Parsley > Thyme > Chives > Dill > Basil > Coriander | HARDEST

Jane

How do I add nutrients to "fill soil"?

arian10daddy — Fri, 12 Feb 2021 03:19:01 GMT

Hi there community!

I'm in the process of setting up the backyard in my new house. A lot has gone into it so far.

I initially thought I would need a lot of fill soil to fill up the garden before even thinking of adding top soil and laying grass on the 12m x 3m area. I ordered 3 cu.m. "fill soil" from one of the nurseries and went to town with my backyard. Now I realise I didn't need that much fill soil under my top soil.

This brings me to my question. Is there a way to make the fill soil into a nutrient rich top soil/sandy loam? If so, what would I need to add in to it to make it good for laying grass over?

The fill soil seems to be fine particles, more gray than brown. Seems to hold into a good non-clayish lump when damn but very easy to dig a shovel into. The image attached shows the ground soil (brown, sticks to the bottom of the boots like crazy when wet) and the fill soil (grayish, on the left).

Would really love to hear about any way to utilize the fill soil instead of giving it away just to buy more top soil.

How to get started with joining specific classes?

Elly2 — Thu, 11 Feb 2021 08:31:06 GMT

I'd like to know how to use w/working tools and thought about doing a small project as a way of learning. I'd appreciate any advice about how to get started with this? How do I register for specific classes; when are the classes running? And any other details about working on a project would be greatly appreciated. I would really like to learn how to use tools. Thank you, Elly

How to get rid of onion grass?

witch-123 — Wed, 10 Feb 2021 04:32:21 GMT

I would like some advise on how to get rid of the onion grass that grows in my garden.

it takes me 3 days to pull them all out as I have a bad back. Then the next day they are growing right back.

Problem with my Monstera from Bunnings

Adrian21 — Mon, 08 Feb 2021 20:38:00 GMT

hi I purchased these two monstera from bunnings thought I scored some variegated ones now I'm starting to think something is definitely wrong with them. I suspect nutrient deficiency or mosaic virus ? Please let me know your thoughts.

Repurposing milk bottles to make a vertical garden

JaneK — Mon, 08 Feb 2021 11:26:38 GMT

I saw this article on how to build vertical garden from recycled materials and thought it might be of interest to other members of the Bunnings Workshop community as it reminds me of the innovative solutions that get shared here all the time. Always handy to have an option on how to create interest on a bland wall and how to fit more greenery into small spaces.

I'd love to hear any tips on about other ways to reuse everyday household items around the garden if anyone has any advice for a novice gardener.

Jane

Hardwood fence questions

joanholt — Sun, 07 Feb 2021 22:42:14 GMT

Hi, I would like to install a small section of boundary fence that will run along side our yet to be installed back crazy paved patio. Approx 4 metres and would like it to be three metres high but top section could be batons or screen of some kind. The neighbour is very amenable. The rest of the boundary walls are brick and about this height.

Because we will be looking straight out our back windows and lounge area onto this area one option we are considering, apart from replacing with brick which is very expensive, is timber, which would soften the look and look nice in the patio area. But I would like it to be a bit of a feature wall.

So my question is: can i get a fence made out decking timber like spotted gum? It will need to be a solid wall not a baton/screen fence. I have not seen anything like this. The closest I have seen is the merbau feature wall with vertical garden of weekenddiyer in this thread and that is not a boundary fence and I think might not provide sufficient privacy????

Would love some advice here as the internet is a black hole on this.

Oh also I do know about the modular walls as alternative to brick and am looking into them too.

Thanks Joan

How to set dripline

balnda — Fri, 05 Feb 2021 05:23:28 GMT

Hi,

Once a dripline is layed out do we need to close the end for it to work? or do we leave it open ended?

Philodendron wreath care

ashleigheee — Wed, 03 Feb 2021 19:22:29 GMT

I recently purchased a wreath with what is advised as a philodendron plant (heart shaped leafs green/white)

I'm just wondering how you'd go about caring for this plant? It's in my kitchen on the wall next to the window so should be pretty filtered light, but because there's no soil and only the moss/roots it's attached to on the wreath how frequent should I be watering as I obviously can't go off the top layer of soil damp/dry method.

How to improve lawn with brown patches?

newfast — Mon, 01 Feb 2021 23:26:37 GMT

Hi Team,

I live in Syd and understand the heat impacts etc on grass however I hot this run down patches of brown area and green grass us around it.

I have tried watering , seasol and sherly 17 etc. But nothing working. Someone mentioned wormas but couldn't find... Back yard has a bit of a slope..please assist

Oh a tradie told me its couch grass type

Back yard

front yard

front yard with some organic soil

Daylily Stella d'Oro - blooming season

Shima — Sun, 31 Jan 2021 23:49:51 GMT

Hi everyone

As you see there's no new bud on my daylily. If I cut the stalk from the bottom, will I get more flowers or it's finished for the year and I have to wait till the next year?

Thanks

Shima

SCRAPS into POTS

VegaNano — Sun, 31 Jan 2021 00:44:43 GMT

Too small a space for a compost barrel-? PUT household Papers,Cardboards,Egg cartons,Notepapers,Leaves torn up straight into pot..When 1/3 full add dirt- ready for new Potplant..Put banana skins & eggshells around plant for extra nutrients..This small system will compost all in about 6 mths & attract worms..

Butterflys also -" gorge on banana skins,liking the sweet juices..

All my PENTAS were grown in pots this way & very healthy colors

EXCESS PRODUCE can be dried

VegaNano — Sat, 30 Jan 2021 22:21:57 GMT

Chillies & Herbs can produce ALOT.Airdrying inside by hanging up in netting bags,keeping old onion & garlic bag netting..Watch for humidity that blackens with mould on fruit..Make cuts in chillies to dry insides quicker..Bottle preserves in white vinegar with garlic & oil- enough for 1 year😂

Decor in garden - Easy ways to cover up Colorbond fence

Mum23 — Sun, 31 Jan 2021 22:22:55 GMT

I want spruce up my garden using artificial plants and trellis to overcome my dull colorbond fencing. I want to create a beautiful backdrop for photographs.

I feel my choices are limited since I have a metal fence.

How to introduce Ladybugs into my garden?

troy1 — Sun, 31 Jan 2021 22:04:03 GMT

Hi,

I have aphids problem on my cucumber plant. I used the oil top and under the leaf. it didn't work. I would like to introduce ladybugs but how do u do it?

do u plant some flowers that ladybugs like?

or use sprays?

I have a balcony so it's not a yard.

aphids

Plant recommendations needed.

LadyLover62 — Sun, 31 Jan 2021 21:56:50 GMT

Hi, I live in Mandurah WA 1 hour south of Perth City. I’ve recently moved back into my home that I had rented out for 10 years. Now I’ve finished internal renovations and sorted lawns, I need to fill the gaps in my full sun back yard garden.

looking for suggestions of easily maintained shrubs for greenery and a flowering one if possible. Can you also advise me what is best to put in the hole dug for the shrubs to have the best start nutrient wise. It is summer and hot would I be best to wait til the cooler months or do some plants like the hot weather to be transplanted in(I would obviously do it in the cooler morning or evening)

thankyou for any advice

Growing winter bulbs in subtropical Queensland

dee12 — Thu, 28 Jan 2021 19:33:57 GMT

Hi I live in qld in a subtropical climate, it's very hot in summer and can get cold in winter, just wondering if you can grow winter bulbs and spring in this climate?? Can I do anything to stop my plants getting burned in.winter?

Why are my palm leaves getting shredded?

nfds — Tue, 26 Jan 2021 23:32:15 GMT

Attached are photographs of my palm tree. It will be observed that the leaves are getting all shredded - it looks like

" long noodles" - "thin white fibres". What could be the reason.?

Could someone advise me how to go about the problem.

Thanks

Nfds

Upcycling our sandpit to a raised garden bed

renonewbie — Sat, 23 Jan 2021 10:32:38 GMT

hi looking for help converting my sandpit to raised garden.

So far plan is

Remove some of sand but leave rest to mix with the soil. Plan to build twice as deep.

? Do I add in a leaves/wood layer or rocks layer after the sand? Whats a budget way to fill up with soil? Do I need a layer of mulch?

Plan is to have back part with plants but herbs at front.

There is water proofing for the sand pit but do I need that as I need soil to drain?

I'll continue with sleepers and decking along edge?

Any advice much appreciated.

Lawn mower maintenance

Nham — Tue, 26 Jan 2021 22:58:13 GMT

We have a ten year Rover lawnmower showing its age, and it didn't sound too good, so we decided to give it a makeover. After doing some research online and watching Youtube videos, it was time to have a go! We bought some of the parts from Bunnings, but the rest came from eBay.

The first part was to give everything a general clean and then replaced the air filter, spark plug, muffler and put in new synthetic oil. I had leftover Nulon 5W-30 motor oil, which was compatible with my 450 series Briggs and Stratton mower.

Being ten years old, the paint was peeling off the motor, and you could see the bare metal. So, I decided to give it a respray. It's easier than you think and anyone can do this. First, sand the surface and then clean meticulously and let the surface dry. Cover the mower with garbage bags, and you are now ready to go. For the paint, I used some Dulux Black engine paint from Repco.

A light spray each time and repeat until you are happy with the coverage. The temptation is to spray too much, just walk away, let it dry and then do another light spray. I then covered the motor with a high heat clear coat which you can buy from any auto shop. Let everything dry, remove the garbage bags and just marvel at your new lawnmower. It took me about 4-5 days as I needed to let the paint dry, but all up I would say 6-7 hrs to do the maintenance.

I started up the mower, and it sounded and looked great. My son who does the lawn thought I had bought a new one.

Some other tips: Before you start any maintenance, disconnect the spark plug. Take your time, do it with the kids and have some fun.

Without the fuel tankSome of the parts were from BunningsAll parts reassembled and ready to go

My rustic little garden shed built from reclaimed hardwood palings

Bundaboy — Tue, 26 Jan 2021 22:10:46 GMT

Installing a Kinetic 15mm garden post with tap

w1soon — Wed, 20 Jan 2021 19:26:23 GMT

Hi there

I have purchased 2 of the Kinetic 15 mm garden post with tap and having difficulty installing them to the existing taps. Please provide instructions on how to stall them. Do I need a plumber for this job or a handyman is able to do this job. Thank you.

Regards

Wai

My take on the heart shaped planter "challenge"

Bundaboy — Tue, 19 Jan 2021 19:27:43 GMT

Just my take on the "heart shaped planter" featured elsewhere on this site. I couldn't resist the urge to give it a crack, but now I wonder what to do with it. It's not very "manly" LOL. Pallet wood of course.

Citrus plant care - what should I do about curling leaves?

nafisa — Sun, 17 Jan 2021 23:04:15 GMT

How can I make this area better?

MzMeadz — Sun, 17 Jan 2021 22:31:09 GMT

This area here is an eye sore in my back yard and I just want to get rid of it and spruce it up. I am new to all this home reno/diy can someone please give me some advice on what I can do to make this area look more enjoyable as it is on our backyard.

That exposed land is solid clay and was a nightmare to retain. I would love to add a small vegetable garden, garden sculpture, and a couple of plants but what to do to hide that ugly rocky wall.

Any ideas or suggestion would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance

Sick mop top tree

kathy01 — Sun, 17 Jan 2021 22:24:50 GMT

One of my mop top trees is unwell, it’s leaves are yellow and the trunk has split and has soil in it

How to kill this weed?

mares — Sun, 17 Jan 2021 22:21:53 GMT

Can anyone identify this weed, please? And I’m wondering what to use to kill it?? Many thanks, Mares.

Potted bamboo going brown

Gavlow — Sun, 17 Jan 2021 22:19:55 GMT

HELP PLEASE I am a novice gardener!! I have just moved into a house that has 3 outdoor pots with bamboo in them. They seem to be going brown despite me watering them most days. They have some morning sun but protected the rest of the day. What water should I use? Are they getting too much sun? Thanks

Steel cutting blade or wire brush accessory for Ryobi Line Trimmer

Aussiebuoy — Sun, 17 Jan 2021 22:13:40 GMT

I have a Ryobi 18V 5.0Ah line trimmer and would like to purchase a steel cutting blade or steel wire brush that will cut larger weeds which the standard cutting line struggles with. The weeds in question have a stem width of between 3 to 6mm. Advice and/or suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you.

Any tips on creating a herb garden?

Peggers — Tue, 12 Jan 2021 20:02:32 GMT

I'm looking for some small scale gardening help!

I've had some success with my DIY projects in the past, but up until now I've always been a terrible gardener.

I'm keen to try and start my green fingered journey again by creating a herb garden. I haven't got much room to play with outside and I'm assuming herbs don't need too much space. I like the idea of starting small with something I can cook with, too.

Whenever I've attempted things like this in the past though, they seem to get off to a good start, but then die off quickly.

So my questions are:

1. What are the best herbs to plant in Summer?

2. Are there any particularly hardy herbs that it would be hard for even me to kill?

3. Are there any particular tips for keeping a herb garden healthy in general.

Look forward to your tips!

Ideas for my front yard

koolibah — Tue, 12 Jan 2021 00:56:01 GMT

Hello id love some ideas for very low maintenance in my front yard how do I make this look great?

How to Treat a Weeping Cherry in a Pot with curling leaves

GaryArmadale — Mon, 11 Jan 2021 02:43:09 GMT

Hi,

I live in Armadale, inner south east of Melbourne.

I have a weeping cherry snow fountains prunus about 1 metre tall in a pot.

I have had it for 3 weeks.

Initially the new leaf shoots were yellow. In the last couple of days, in addition to new yellow leaves, some leaves are shrivelling up/curling up, other leaves are going brown and dying whilst other leaves are going yellow. Something is eating the leaves.

Any suggestions for fixing this ?

Also advice on how to water it ?

Regards

Recipe for my best homemade potting mix

doubleaitch — Mon, 11 Jan 2021 23:26:24 GMT

For a number of years I have struggled to find a good commercial potting mix that does not need additional product to grow in. Below is the 'recipe' I use and I have had great success with - from Hydrangeas to Roses, Herbs to Tomatoes and pretty much everything I have tried.

In a buildings tub I mix

I bag Manure (cow or sheep)

1/2 bag of Perlite

1/2 bag of Peat Moss

1/2 (9ltr) bucket spent coffee grounds

1/2 large block of Coconut Coir, broken up dry

2 (9ltr) Buckets of garden soil

1 handful of all purpose fertiliser granules

2 handfuls of Rooster Booster or Dynamic Lifter

The cost of the mix rates alongside the best of the commercial potting mixes but I find it much more successful for pretty much everything I have grown with it.

I mix the ingredients dry (including the coconut coir)

Fertilising lawns when rain is expected?

juliao7 — Wed, 06 Jan 2021 04:21:35 GMT

Is it advisable to use basics lawn fertilizer if rain is expected that day

Re-potting tomatoes

GraceGreenthumb — Wed, 06 Jan 2021 05:30:53 GMT

I have some tomato plants that have to be repotted but I'm not sure how.

I know that it needs to be done soon because most of the leaves have gone purple.

I'm not sure what I would need in terms of potting mix and I don't actually even really know how often to water them.

Can someone help me out?

Garden planter stand

JI — Mon, 22 Feb 2021 00:46:59 GMT

I have been slowly building a collection of succulents. I asked hubby to make me a simple stand, maybe with pallet wood and some sleepers. He ended making me an awesome 3 tiered stand. It took 2 sleepers, 12 fence pailings, appropriate screws, and finished with a coat of varnish.

Photos of stand with and without plants. Terracotta pots are also from bunnings.

Community Manager's note: Inspired by this fantastic project, our resident Bunnings D.I.Y. expert has provided a step-by-step guide to building your own tiered plant stand. We look forward to seeing your own creations.

Garden night critters

Chaks_DIY — Tue, 05 Jan 2021 04:36:52 GMT

I recently planted some new herbs in my garden bed after a great end of year herb haul!

Over the last few nights my new herbs (mainly the coriander and lettuce) have been decimated barely leaving the stalks. I did a bit of research and I believe possums are responsible due to their eating preferences.. such fussy eaters ha! and previous roof action from them.

I'm now planning on adding some netting to my garden bed. Seems to be the sure way to deal with these critters.

I do have a new lemon tree and strawberry bush I am now concerned about. Does anyone know if possums have a taste for these?

Regards

How to turn your bathtub into a jungle

mich1972 — Mon, 04 Jan 2021 05:17:53 GMT

So we NEVER use the bathtub and we have this large window with heaps of light coming in............. Well there is one way to enjoy the tub...........

I just used some Pine from Bunnings cut to shape as the shelves, you can use what ever you want.

I picked up an old crappy stand from the Tip. I bought some black spray paint, black plastic saucer and black pebbles from Bunnings.

I just placed a curtain rod in the tub for the Devils Ivy to climb on.

On the window sill is a couple of water propagation vases and a couple of small pots.

Cut the timber to shape to fit on the bathtub for your shelves. I just made 4 shelves. You could cover the whole bathtub if you wanted too.

I just spray painted the old stand black, gave it two coats.
Once dried I brought it inside , giving lots of height for the Devil’s Ivy to climb up and also trail down.

I placed a large black plastic saucer onto the stand. Put in the black pebbles, the pebbles are there to stop the pot plants sitting in water if accidentally over watered. It allows the bottom of the pots to breathe. I have used a couple of terracotta pots and a couple of black plastic pots.

It is really lovely to go in the bathroom with a living jungle 🌿💚

How to give height and feature your indoor plants

mich1972 — Mon, 04 Jan 2021 05:01:48 GMT

Plant stands with nice long legs will give your features good height.

These simple black stands work a treat. Placing a beautiful large pot on top with your favourite plant will liven up a dead corner.

The pot stands and pots are from Bunnings, Devil’s Ivy growing up the totem pole will increase the height and will also drape down. I bought this one nearly a year ago from Bunnings and it is growing crazy.

The Sansevieria Tounges I have had for a long time and truly enjoy them as a feature indoors.

I always rotate my Indoor plants and give them a break outside under the patio as it is quite dark inside when we are at work. I personally find plants seem to grow better when they are rotated. They will sit inside for a few weeks and then go back out again. I find ‘old school’ plants are the best for us and we love them 🌿💚😊

How to restore an old patchy lawn

mich1972 — Sun, 03 Jan 2021 22:33:12 GMT

So our couch back lawn was depleted and reverting back to sand as it’s so old , it needed a big boost of top dressing. I used Hortico Top Dress from Bunnings. I did this 8 days ago.

Rake the top dress out.

I like to use a granular wetting agent. WettaSoil from Bunnings. Once this is added make sure to hand water it in.

I like to use Richgro Rock Minerals as a natural slow release fertiliser that won’t dump too much nitrogen straight away. I also use this throughout our garden. Again hand water in straight away.

Give it a good hand water.
Safety tip - wear a mask when applying these products as they are quite dusty.

8 days later it’s looking better, the harsh patches need more time but it is an improvement.

I will post a follow up in another week to show you how it is going 😊

DIY timber Garden arbour

tangels — Sat, 02 Jan 2021 04:30:23 GMT

I am wanting to build the same arbour as seen on the Bunnings DIY Video. I've got most of it down except the actual dimensions

ie height, width and dims of all pieces. it looks exactly what I am after and just want to make sure before moving ahead. I know these can be a bit of a "moving feast" however this appears to fit perfectly. The video is good except it does not quite provide the detail on some parts of the build. The construction list seems not to cover all the timber required hence need the detail. Can anyone help a newbie??? tks GM

What soil for vegetable box?

Martk — Mon, 04 Jan 2021 22:56:33 GMT

what soil should I use for my vegetable box

What should I plant for this time of year?

I live in Point Cook, Melbourne

What should i do with the run-off water here?

John57 — Fri, 01 Jan 2021 00:40:05 GMT

These two agi pipes bring water from the front garden. A drop of .5-1.5m front to back.

Soil is solid clay. From this discharge point next to the fence the yard drops a further meter to the back fence.

I was thinking of draining the water towards the citrus tree. But water logging is a high risk.
Or drop a leaching tank into the ground. But given the soil profile you can see in this hole below from elsewhere in this garden it’s clay all the way. So I suspect water dispersion from the leaching tank may not be successful. Unless the hole is oversized and filled with gypsum and soil. Is this the best permanent solution?

Advice and practical ideas very welcome please.

How do i revive my dying lemon tree?

Ramkumar — Tue, 29 Dec 2020 20:04:01 GMT

How to setup Maze Garden Plant Tunnel Cover 3m?

Simone2 — Sun, 27 Dec 2020 21:18:51 GMT

How do you tie and set these up?

Maze Garden Plant Tunnel Cover 3m.

I can not find any information and there are no instructions in the package

Ryobi 18" 4ah mower

Dongib — Sun, 27 Dec 2020 23:57:57 GMT

Is the Ryobi 18" 4ah mower ($499) mulch capable?

Bunnings weeping japanese maple

ynotrialb — Sun, 27 Dec 2020 23:21:01 GMT

I planted a japanese weeping maple from Bunnings in September, At the first blush of Spring it came out with some delicate and attractive leaves and we thought it was on its way. Within day, they had all gone.. It has now tried three more times to sprout again and each time they are destroyed. We've tried Neem and Pyrethrin, I've put a copper shield around the base of trunk (not touching) and spray coffee on the ground as it was getting slugs but they stopped. Yesterday we put bird netting up as we thought that might be the problem. Last night we lost our latest foliage. I cant see any sawdust signs so its not a bug inside the tree.. New branches are dying at their ends, about 4-5 cms.

Dont know where to go from here. Thinking of starting next spring with a new and more expensive plant from a nursery but need to find out why I'm having this problem.

Help please!!.

Removal of large piece of concrete in soil

Lassy — Mon, 21 Dec 2020 09:21:36 GMT

Hi, I was planting a couple of things in my garden and discovered a large piece of cement. I have managed to expose the majority of it, but I wanted someone's opinion on whether it would be safe to remove? My gut feel is that this was probably where the builders were mixing their cement, but apparently sometimes builders would pour concrete over pipes to protect them if they were close to the surface? This is about 1.5m away from the house. The concrete has various heights, ranging 5 to 15cm underneath the soil level. It also varies in thickness and width. Any recommendations to remove it would also be appreciated, I am thinking of using a hammer and chisel and break it off piece by piece (will obviously take a while) but that way I can at least see if I am going to damage something. Thanks!!

Garden hose for my balcony

ventodimare — Sun, 27 Dec 2020 22:31:49 GMT

Hello,

I have a balcony with plants and I'd like to buy a garden hose: I'd connect one side of the hose to the faucet of my kitchen sink & drag the pipe to the balcony to deliver water.

The hose should also have a trigger sensitive enough to allow gentle delivery of water (I have very delicate plants).

The distance between kitchen and balcony is around 10 meters. I'd also like something that is compact (I live in a small apartment).

Can you indicate few items I can check out?

Thank you

Where to get humus nr Caloundra?

himagaintoo — Mon, 21 Dec 2020 01:09:51 GMT

Humus?? Told I need it for home garden - can't find any locally?

AND it is a domestic food garden. So we don't use anything "unsafe" to eat🙄

Lime Tree Worry

nikaz68 — Sun, 20 Dec 2020 08:49:23 GMT

Hi i dont know what to do my lime tree is in a pot the leaves are curling and dropping ive also found a bug on it

and white nest looking things on the leaves.

how to install concrete sleeper with a fence?

Bliv — Sun, 20 Dec 2020 05:47:13 GMT

my front yard is fairly level, but slopes down ~200mm right before it meets the footpath.

At some point i'd like to install a metal pole fence (the sort that comes in pre-fab sections. install a post and screw in the fence section)

I dont want the dirt just sloping away as it meets the fence as it'll be hard to mow and maintain.

I'd like to install a basic concrete sleeper edge/wall 200mm high, to hold back the dirt and allow me to square up the edge of the yard where it meets the fence.

How do i go about doing this? what actually holds the sleepers in place?

should the fence start above the sleepers, or do i just put the sleepers behind the fence and use the fence posts to support the sleepers?

example of sleepers
Outback Sleepers 2400 x 200 x 100mm Lonsdale HD Concrete Sleeper (bunnings.com.au)

example of the style of fence id like to use

Garden Hose connectors

DexterOz — Sun, 27 Dec 2020 21:49:55 GMT

I am looking to get garden hose and spray gun but not sure of the connectors. I have three types of connectors on the tap. Can you confirm which type of connectors i need on the hose

Manchurian pear leaves browning and falling off

Dgeorge83 — Sun, 27 Dec 2020 21:44:55 GMT

I recently bought 2 large manchurian pear from bunnings and they have been losing leaves. One is worse then the other but doing similar.

Planted in the ground in reasonable ground. Mostly original top soil. The have both been given a dose of seasol and some fertiliser.

Losing leaves at the base and top still looking healthy. There is also new growth on some branches that are losing leaves but also at the top.

They have been watered every few days as only planted about a month or so ago and we have had some hot windy days.

Any ideas for what is wrong or what we are doing wrong? And ideas to keep them healthy and alive?

Images attached as reference

holes in my garden

Kathieb87 — Tue, 15 Dec 2020 06:34:15 GMT

Hi everyone. For a few weeks I’ve been seeing holes in my yard. My kids aren’t doing it and I’ve poked the holes but nothing comes out , would anyone know what causes them and how to stop it?

Pots painting

ventodimare — Sun, 13 Dec 2020 21:30:44 GMT

I love interesting patters & colors on my plant pots. I've done my research in the internet but I'm missing some elements:

For outdoor pots:

1) what's the best material the pot should be made of to get the best results?

2) what paint type should be used?

3) And for indoor pots?

4) are there 'stencils' to use to get some elegant patterns?

5) is it possible to paint on plastic pots?

Thank you

Spiders balcony

ventodimare — Sun, 13 Dec 2020 21:13:04 GMT

Good morning.

My balcony is filled with we cobs. I keep clean it but, in a couple of hours, the cobs show up again. The cobs are not just in the usual spots (eg corners, cracks) they are in between the branches of the plants in my pots (eg dahlias).I've checked and I don't believe there is a colony of spiders that requires disinfestation.

In the internet, everyone has their own method (eg ammonia, mint mixed with water, electronic buzzers). Is there a professional product I can use? Or any other suggestion?

Thank you

Solution for dry sandy garden

JacksonWong — Sun, 13 Dec 2020 19:14:50 GMT

The front lawn in front of my house is dry sandy soil which is very difficult to grow any plants. The sand is dry & sandy and the wind often blow the sand onto pavers on the driveway and entrance to the house. We have given up on gardening and currently trying to find a solution. Which of the 2 options below is the best to keep sand & weeds away.

a)Put plastic bags or membranes over the sand patches and lay pebbles stones on top. This will keep sand & weeds away

b)Lay artificial lawn. This would still require more maintenance than 1 above.

see 3 photos. Look forward to your response.

How to program gardena watering master

gdblue1 — Sun, 13 Dec 2020 19:46:11 GMT

Can you program the Gardena water master 1892 to water more than once a day for some of the irrigation lines

Lemon tree DIY planter box

Chaks_DIY — Fri, 11 Dec 2020 01:16:59 GMT

A few weeks back I went to the market to pick up some fresh produce. Somehow, I came back home with a 2m tall Lemon tree ...and the produce.

Instead of digging down I thought I'd make a feature of it and incorporate it into the backyard by raising it up so better sun.

The lawn wasn't fairing too well in this corner so an added bonus became apparent

Cheers again !

How do I change the line on a victa swift start straight shaft line trimmer?

briano74 — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:05:46 GMT

The manual does not seem to show the model I have - a bump head - and I am having difficulty putting in new line. Any advice. Should I just get the metal head - seems a lot easier

How to drill into colorbond end?

mml1234 — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 03:34:00 GMT

I have tried to drill into post for colorbond side but nothing I try works

Frog Pot

Janfay — Sun, 06 Dec 2020 05:58:11 GMT

y Frog Pot Hoping the frogs will like it Is it too full with moss?

bugs eating the leave of my guava plant

Q04982004 — Sun, 06 Dec 2020 00:24:52 GMT

I have a little guava plant in the pot and is located in a reasonable sunny location in the backyard (few hours of sun every day)

Can you please advise what kind of bugs are eating the leave of my guava plant ?

I cannot see any bugs on the leave.

I even tried to spray it with eco white oil, but I don't think it fixes this issue.

Thanks very much

Q04982004

How do a find a reliable retractable garden hose?

thedovecote — Mon, 28 Dec 2020 00:25:39 GMT

Bottle brush stump size

phrobat2 — Fri, 04 Dec 2020 20:55:23 GMT

I have a large bottlebrush in my yard. Recently got a new fence not realising the trees stump was pushing against the old fence. Fencers cut shaping on fence around tree base and large branches at top. I didn't realise they were doing this. I don't think the property owners will like what's been done. So my question is can I cut a slice down the stump to make it narrower without killing it? I cannot afford to have the tree taken out. It is encroaching on neighbours property by about 2cm. I can take off top branches and get new paling but its the bottom im concerned about

Artificial turf for the front yard

nfds — Fri, 04 Dec 2020 05:09:18 GMT

I would like to put artificial turf in my front yard to save me the trouble of constant weeding. Presently it has very small pebbles Attached is a photo. Its in a semi circle with a slight slope. The size roughly is 10 feet by 10 feet.

I would like to know: 1. what would be the approximate cost for turfing and any particular brand/make.

2. since there is a slight slope, do I have level the ground .

3, Besides the turf what else would I require for the project.

thanks

nfdsFRONT YARD

MOPTOP Robinia nightmare

stardust666 — Fri, 04 Dec 2020 05:27:35 GMT

Hi Guys,

I love Mop tops and have planted a row in my backyard

I had them in a previous home and they looked amazing.

These mop tops were planted about 3 weeks ago in premium garden soil. They looked great for a week, then slowly started shriveling up. I water them every two days and have started watering them with a diluted seasol mix . Im in melbourne and the weather has been all over the place for a few weeks ( 35 degrees hot days then drops to 18) does this has anythung to do with it?

How do i save them?

Also do i have to cut off all the dead bits???

I have other shrubs in the garden using the same soil mix and they are doing well !

Any help would be appreciated !!!!!!

Random lawn holes

bobby_oz — Wed, 02 Dec 2020 19:06:20 GMT

Can anyone help me to identify what is making these random holes in my lawn? I do not get many of them 3 or 4 on the whole lawn (big lawn). Only appear to be made at night, find in the morning. I have two dogs (Labs) who do not seem interested. Any assistance would be appreciated, thanks in advance!

New garden irrigation system

Nev — Wed, 02 Dec 2020 05:06:04 GMT

Hi after getting some disappointing quotes I've decided to give this a go.

Firstly is my main water fills a 9 literally bucket in 22 seconds ,is that good pressure?

Also in video I notice you use pvc pipe as opposed to black flex hose is this best?

I feel I've got the trench attachments choice of pop up covered then I get lost at the solenoid part forgive me Im a lady trade doing my best ,then do you then use black flexi pipe back to hose and Timer?

Best summer vegetables - Growing tomatoes

Grub80 — Mon, 30 Nov 2020 18:26:53 GMT

Hi All, Just wanted to share my favourite Fruit/Vegetables to grow in Tomatoes. I have planted a variety of Tomatoes this year, mainly purchased from Bunnings or grown from seed. Our new hoop house has been a great development in our feeding our family, and has been working really well. I hope your toms are growing well and enjoy the fruits of your labour Our new hoop shade house

Variety - Rou De Marmande

Variety - Genuwine its Huge

Variety - Grafted Appollo

Variety - Tigerella

Varieity - Roma

How to build a bird cage for a alexandrine that likes to chew

kaylasouthwell — Sun, 29 Nov 2020 14:16:03 GMT

I wanting to build a cage for my bird that is fairly big as he is a medium size parrot. I need whatever the cage is made out of to be able to get wet as my bird likes to be hosed down so I need to be water resistant and etc.

Any ideas on what I’d need?

water retention crystals

aussieagent — Sat, 28 Nov 2020 22:35:36 GMT

I have a Sir Walter Lawn but in very sandy soul at Maroochydore this it dries out so quickly. Bunnies NGOs sell a Hortico brand of water retaining crystals. I have a few questions if someone could answer them that would be great.
1/ Are they safe for pets etc.

2/ Do they work.
3/ how much do I need for 100m2 of lawn.

How and what do I line a Merbau raised planter box?

Mariemea — Sat, 28 Nov 2020 19:05:55 GMT

Hi everyone, I have picked up 2 small raised planter boxes that are made of Merbau. The bottom of the box has aluminium pieces (I think they were some sort of patio roofing that will allow water to drain. I don't know what I should line the planter boxes with. I've been told to double line it with weed mat or some sort of plastic (not sure if there is a certain type of plastic to use). Many thanks for all suggestions.

Which leg support should I choose for my wine barrel planter?

jollyyau — Fri, 27 Nov 2020 07:56:44 GMT

Hi everyone! I’m new to the community I'd love to hear what you think about my barrel planter with legs project

Basically....

I wanna make my wine barrel into a garden bed thats elevated 50cm from the ground. I googled options online and there are a number of ways to fix legs onto the barrel and I don't know the pros & cons for any of them!

The planter will be very heavy as it will be filled with soil (estimate 150-200kgs) so I wonder which type of support works best?? I drew up some options below

This is my wine barrel:

I have a bunch of wood but I have no idea what type of wood they are. The longest one is like 4m but most of them are narrow (5cm width).

In terms of tools, I have a mitre saw and jigsaw, L brackets, clamps and wood glue.

Bushy plants for privacy?

tisme — Fri, 27 Nov 2020 04:44:05 GMT

what bushy type plants can I grow in pots on my side patio for privacy that can be bought at Bunnings

Choosing an economical lawn mower

nagumuthu — Sun, 29 Nov 2020 19:11:38 GMT

Hello Members,

May you please share on a economical Lawn Mower for the purpose of mowing 130sq. m area. There are many products available on the market that runs on electricity, batteries. Any mower is found on the market that actuates mechanically upon movement of the mower with running on power supplies? Which one is better?

Looking for a mower minimal maintenance consuming reasonable spare parts along the way.

Thanks

M.Muthu

Raised garden beds, wicking and in ground worm bin

Africanaussie — Wed, 25 Nov 2020 21:00:08 GMT

I am purchasing some long narrow garden beds to go alongside a fence. At the moment I have polysterene wicking boxes there and have been happy with them but raised beds will look nicer. These do not of course have a liner, because they are a box, so I just drill a hole about 10cm up form the bottom, and they drain out when overfull. Just wondering if it makes sense to have the drainage pipe coming out underneath the bed (dig away a channel) instead of drilling a hole through the side? Anyone done that?

I was going to insert a pipe sticking up that could be twisted around to empty. I also want to put in in ground worm buckets, which are fantanstic. Have seen subpod and wondering about using a crate so it can be a seat.

wicking boxes along fence

How I protect garden plants from chickens

rattle — Wed, 25 Nov 2020 18:32:57 GMT

G'day everyone.

showed us how they protect their garden from the chickens and I didn't want to take over their discussion with my photos, so here's what I do to protect everything from the chickens.

The white Diamond Econetting is from Bunnings and is left over from when I was covering fruit trees.

Bamboo stakes hold it up in some beds and 2 pieces of crossed over PVC pipe is used in one bed, all from Bunnings.

For beds with wooded borders, I have screws that stick out by half and I secure the net to that, around the edges.

All chicken wire, pine bark, sugar cane mulch and wood chips are from Bunnings.

Decking boards, fence palings, wire mesh, stain and all screws are all from Bunnings.

Umbrella is from Bunnings.

As you can see, everything is protected from our free ranging chickens. It also works as a great barrier where needed against cabbage moth and birds.

Wire fence runs from alfresco to back fence to divide chickens from the dog side of the yard. Lemon, mulberries, thornless blackberry and passion fruit are used to soften the impact of the wire divide.Chicken wire protects wood chips, pea straw and pine bark from being scratched up by the chickens.

In ground potato bed and raised raspberry and red onion bed with Diamond Econetting from Bunnings.In ground bed with remaining onions for seed collection, garlic and potatoes. Other bed is spring onions and red cabbages. Potatoes in tubs in the background.Alfresco extended out with decking boards, fence palings and mesh wire to keep chickens out.

Using a Venturi system

Grub80 — Wed, 25 Nov 2020 02:51:08 GMT

Hi all, looking for advice for using a Venturi system for fertilising/seasol my garden using the watering system. What strength solutions should I use?

DIY sloped frontyard landscaping

Tara86 — Wed, 25 Nov 2020 18:57:24 GMT

We have finally completed the last major section of our front yard.

As you can see we are on a steep slope which made the job quite tricky. After 5 attempts we finally found a layout that suited the area, easy to maintain (major priority) and has received a thumbs up from our neighbours.

Given the location of our house, it is seen by the whole estate. So glad we are no longer the neighbourhood eyesore ha ha.

We still have to stain the timber steps, finish the bamboo panelling and add some nice features to the exposed brick area but the hardest part is done.

We had originally put the mulch in the front section and planned to turf the middle area but it would be to hard to mow and we’d need another retaining wall. Lucky for us the front area has additional drainage so with the added mulch we’ve had no issues with flooding.

I have attached both before and after pics!

Pool pole lopper

Noyade — Tue, 24 Nov 2020 19:58:57 GMT

Trees are getting higher and it's getting harder for me on a ladder, so I tried attaching an inexpensive lopper/saw onto a pool pole.

Then added extra rope. I estimate the reach with the feet on the ground is around 7 metres.

With a 25mm pipe connection piece, bolt and wingnut the cutting part fits at the handle end of the pole.

One issue is if you attempt to cut too big a diameter branch with the pruning scissor - it's like trying to land a Marlin with the pole bending. Otherwise working well so far.

Retaining garden bed

katy — Sun, 22 Nov 2020 08:13:28 GMT

Hello.

I am very new and novice to the DIY thing. Have been watching keenly and reading most of the comments.

I want to build a raised bed against the fence. I have heaps of queries.
1. Do I drill a sleeper to the fence?

2. What wood should I opt for?

3. What soil do I go for?

any little information would be gladly received.

thanks.